NEWS | Tesla revealed its new Roadster on October 15 in Texas, nearly nine years after first showing the car in 2017 and promising to build it by 2020. In the demo, the car drove up a ramp until it was upside down, held in place by fans under the car, then used 10 jets of compressed air to flip off, spin in the air, and land. Tesla claims it went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 0.81 seconds. Elon Musk says production starts in 2028.
There will be three versions. The base one, Performance, has no jets. The Thrust version adds jets at the back and is a limited release, and the one seat Rocket, with 10 jets around the car, is invite only. The jet technology comes from SpaceX. Tesla says all three can travel about 300 miles on a charge and go faster than 230 miles per hour, but those are Tesla’s own claims. Reservations are open at 50,000 dollars for the base version, with 5,000 dollars due now and the rest within 10 days. Tesla calls the deposit refundable.
What Comes After the Show
BMN thinks this was the most eye catching demo Tesla has staged for the Roadster, and also the easiest part of the job. A stunt can be planned and rehearsed. A car that gets priced, built, and delivered is much harder, and Tesla has not shown that part yet. It gave no price for any version, and the version that actually flies is by invitation only.
The delays make that gap hard to ignore. The reveal was promised for the end of 2025, then April, then August, then October 1, before weather pushed it to October 15. Musk first floated adding jets in 2018. Deposits started at 50,000 dollars in 2017, and some early buyers paid 250,000 dollars to reserve one of 1,000 Founders Series cars. Not one has been delivered. Musk says 2028 is for real, but Tesla also called the car a few years away last time.
After nine years of waiting, Tesla gave Roadster fans a show with jets. Will this ever be a car anyone can drive, or is it just a very good stunt?
